There are three related recreational sporting events that appeal initially to a small group of surfers, backcountry enthusiasts, and skateboarders, for year-round participation and enjoyment. In the aquatic sporting events, a surfboard is used, whereas in summer land sporting events, skateboards are used, and in the winter season, the snowboards are primarily used.
The modern surfboards are large boards constructed of a plastic foam core that is shaped by machine or hand-shaped, and covered with a thin shell of fiberglass and resin. Surfboard dimensions vary widely and are governed by the needs of the enthusiast. High performance surfboards used by the top professionals vary typically from about 1.8 to 2 meters (6 ft.) in length and about 47 cm. (18.5 in.) in width; weighing about 2.7 kg (6 lbs.) and less than 6 cm. (2.5 in) thick. This style of board is also known as a “shortboard.”
On the other end of the surfboard spectrum is the “longboard,” where most longboards are 2.7 m. (9 ft.) long, 51 to 56 cm. (20 to 22 in.) wide, weighing less than 7 kg (15 lb and about the same thickness as the shortboard. The bottom of this board has from one to five fins near the tail, where the three-fin, thruster design is considered to be standard. These fins provide the board with directional stability and enhance performance by providing additional power and forward drive. Either style board can be used in recreational or in professional contexts, however, the shortboard performs better for speed and aerial maneuvers.
Snowboarding, on the other hand, is a sport often described as “surfing on snow.” Snowboarders descend a slope by standing sideways on a lightweight board about 150 cm (about 5 ft) long, attached to their feet.
With snowboarding, the board lengths vary according to the size of the rider and the type of riding the rider does. Adult sized snowboards range from about 140 cm. to 180 cm. (about 4 ft. 7 in. to 5 ft. 11 in.). “Freestyle boards” are shortest, for easy maneuverability, whereas, the “freeride boards” are medium in length. “Carving boards” are still longer, so that can perform best at higher speeds. The longest are the “Alpine race boards” that may be as long as 190 cm. (6 ft 3 in.). These boards utilize a variety of bindings to hold the boots to the board, including metal fasteners, plastic straps, and step-in versions. Bindings having high backs behind the heels provide support and added leverage on turns.
Unlike skiers, who shift their weight from one ski to the other, snowboarders shift their weight from heels (heelside) to toes as well as from one end of the board to the other. When snowboarders shift their weight toward the nose (front of the board), the board heads downhill. When snowboarders shift their weight toward the tail (back of the board), they head uphill or slow down. Riders achieve quick turns by pushing the back foot forward or pulling it backward to change direction. They stop the board's motion by pushing heels or toes down hard to dig the edge of the snowboard into the snow.
Most winter resorts now have special areas for snowboarding known as halfpipes—a long, deep trench dug in the snow and shaped like a pipe cut in half along its length, where riders “drop in” the pipe, using the walls of the trench to launch themselves into the air and perform a variety of jumps and spins. Tricks range from riding backwards, called riding fakie, to spectacular spins and flips performed in the halfpipe.
Skateboarding is an athletic activity that involves riding on a specially designed four-wheeled wooden board. The enthusiast most generally rides skateboards on the pavement or any other surface that gives a relatively smooth ride. Originally, the sport was known as “sidewalk surfing” but soon established its own identity.
The earliest skateboards first appeared in the 1940s and 1950s, where many of the early boards were toy scooters whose handlebars had been removed. Other homemade skateboards were steel-wheeled roller skates nailed onto a piece of wood. The first commercially produced skateboards appeared in the early 1960s, when Makaha Skateboards established a successful business.
By the 1970s, skateboard design had advanced, and the models produced were much safer than those of earlier years. This was because companies were making wheels, trucks, and other parts specially designed for skateboards. For many years skateboard construction varied among manufacturers, as plastic, fiberglass, metal, and wood were tested as deck materials, but by the late 1970s wood had won out as the optimum material. Decks constructed of seven-ply laminated wood tended to be lighter and stronger than those made of other materials.
Skateboarding became a competitive sport when curved plywood ramps were designed for use in skateboarding—these ramps were first used in 1975 in Melbourne Beach, Fla.
A skateboard is comprised of four wheels attached to two axles called trucks that are mounted to the bottom of a wooden board called a deck. These decks are typically 79 cm. (31 in.) in length and about 20 cm. (8 in.) in width. Generally, seven layers of Canadian maple veneer, pressed and glued together, comprise the deck. To improve the strength and prevent the deck from splitting along the grain, the skateboard manufacturers alternate the direction of the wood grain of each layer. These decks feature a curved rise at each end—the front end is called a kicknose, and the one in the rear is called a kicktail. To perform the tricks and stunts, the skateboarders use the leverage from the kicked ends. An abrasive grip tape is normally used on the top surface to provide traction and prevent the rider from slipping off.
The trucks are most commonly mounted 33 to 38 cm. (13 to 15 in.) apart. They consist of a base plate that mounts to the deck with screws and a hanger that houses the axle. The wheels attach to each end of the axle. Most trucks are made of lightweight aluminum and allow a slight movement between the base plate and hanger. This flexibility allows riders to turn the skateboard by shifting their weight.
Skateboard wheels are made of a durable material called urethane. Standard wheels are 50 to 65 mm. 0.9 to 2.5 in. in diameter and 65 mm. (2.5 in. wide. Each wheel houses two sealed or shielded precision bearings. Protective equipment worn by skateboarders typically includes kneepads, elbow pads, wrist guards, gloves, and a helmet. The wearing of protective equipment is extremely important, especially for beginning riders.
The following prior art discloses the various aspects in the design and use of riding board apparatuses.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,385, granted Jan. 5, 1999, to S. G. Hambsch, discloses a wheeled board apparatus having a platform with concave sidecuts, where the wheeled board apparatus has a platform with first and second concave portions. At least two primary wheels are located along a central longitudinal axis, with at least three outrigger wheels located generally along each concave sidecut.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,494, granted Jan. 15, 2002, to M. Fillian, discloses a two wheel articulated board device which the user can operate on smooth rough or smooth terrain. The device has a rear board member and a front board member, which are connected at a pivot point. Each board member can rotate relative to the other board member around this pivot point. The device is supported by two wheels. A rear wheel, which extends rear of the board and above the level of the board and a front wheel, which extends forward of the board and above the level of the board. The front wheel is connected to the board by a front fork which attaches to the underside of the board. The rear wheel is connected to the board by a rear fork which attaches to the underside of the board. There is a flexible member that connects at one end with the underside of the device rear of the pivot point and at the other end at the underside of the device forward of the pivot point. The user motions the board forward by placing one foot on the rear board member with that foot oriented about 45 degrees off the major axis of the device. Forward motion is achieved by the user pushing against the ground with his/her other foot. Once the user has gained enough speed and begins coasting, the user repositions his/her feet perpendicular to the long axis of the device. While coasting the user can affect a change of direction by changing the relative orientation of his/her feet which arc initially parallel without lifting them off the device. Moving the user's feet by bringing his/her toes closer together causes the rear board member to move relative to the front board member around the pivot point and thus affects a change of direction of the device. A flexible member running under the device along the major axis of the device and connected at one end to the rear board member and at the other end to the front board member applies a force to keep each board member aligned along their respective major axes.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,672,602, granted Jan. 6, 2004, to F. L. Way, II, et al., discloses a gravity driven steerable vehicle having wheels, or skis or a combination of wheels and skis for recreational use, most particularly on surfaces such as pavement, artificial hardpack turf, mountain slopes, dirt roads, grass and hard-packed or non-packed snow. The vehicle has at least three (3) but preferably four (4) wheels, or skis or a combination of wheels and skis which may or may not be on independent axles one from the other and which may or may not be each independently shock suspended. There is also a steering mechanism for steering the vehicle and a driver compartment portion for containing a driver of the vehicle in a prone face-down and face-forward position. The vehicle is steerable by the driver from the prone face-down and face forward position. The mechanism for suspension of the wheels and/or skis is configured to provide precise control in turns especially the carving of turns, by the skis, while descending on snow covered terrain. The attitude of the skis relative to the snow surface changes upon initiation of a turn and while in the turn to increase the edging of the skis thereby enhancing the turning characteristics of the vehicle. The vehicle may further have a braking system for slowing or stopping the vehicle and a harness apparatus for harnessing the driver onto and into the vehicle.
What is needed is a safe, two-wheeled “riding-board,” having an outboard set of repositionable stabilizer wheels to limit a leaning excursion, and having a controllable, individually foot operated, dual actuatable braking system. In this regard, the present invention fulfils this need.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide for a two-wheeled “riding-board,” having a set of outboard stabilizer wheels to limit a leaning excursion.
It is another object of the present invention to provide for a two-wheeled “riding-board,” having a set of outboard stabilizer wheels to control the downward direction by the rider shifting his weight over the appropriate outboard wheel to attain the desired direction.
It is another object of the present invention to provide for a two-wheeled “riding-board,” having a set of outboard stabilizer wheels that are obliquely angled forward, where the rider use a side wheel to kick or immediately pivot the board for turning to that side.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide for a two-wheeled “riding-board,” having a set of outboard stabilizer wheels that are parallel to the length of the board (the axel is orthogonal to the board) for downhill riding on a severe downgrade hill or when the rider is confronted by a hill that includes various undulations or irregularities.
It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide for a two-wheeled “riding-board,” having a set of outboard stabilizer wheels that are angled toward the rear of the board to provide more speed for downhill racing, such as in instances where the rider does not anticipate doing much turning.
It is yet still another object of the present invention to provide a controllable, individually foot operated, dual actuatable, braking system.
It is a final object of the present invention to provide a dual braking system, where the first is a manually operated triggered cable and the second automatically actuated using a tethered pull line.
A better understanding of these and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawings.